Blackmail
by Goldsaddletank
Summary: (Request for Johnny Cdaman) Duncan and Sir Handel blackmail Luke when they find out about his crush on Millie. (Contains LukeXMillie)


Blackmail

...

"I ken how ye feel, Sir Handel. We're always being rushed off our wheels in the quarry."

"Well, at least you're only here when one of us is ill or damaged!"

"Och wheest!"

Duncan and Sir Handel gave each other dirty looks. It was an exceptionally hot day on Sodor and the engines were feeling very frustrated and exhausted.

Everyone else felt the heat, but they tried hard to ensure that they kept working hard and making sure that the stone was ready on time to be delivered to other parts of the Island or to Brendam Docks for shipping to places near and far from Sodor.

"Right, come on you two- I know you don't like the heat, but we all have work to do." Old Bailey the foreman reminded the two tank engines.

They groaned.

"Come on guys!" Luke said teasingly. "Nothing's wrong with a bit of hard work! Unless you're feeling lazy!"

He zipped off, laughing to himself, whistle his trucks clattered behind him.

"Hm- lazy indeed!" Duncan snorted. "The cheek o' him!"

"Yes!" Sir Handel agreed. "I suggest we get him back. But how?"

This made Duncan pause for a moment. He did like the idea of getting payback on Luke for his teasing, but he didn't know what.

"Well, we'll just see if an opportunity comes along," He suggested. "Maybe there's something he cannot resist."

The pair agreed between them to keep their plans for payback a secret.

...

Unfortunately for them, neither of them could get anything. They knew that Luke must have something clandestine under his funnel, but they couldn't scope out what that was, despite the fact they each took turns snooping on Luke and their friends. To make matters worse, Luke continued to tease them about their 'laziness.'

"Come on, lazy bones!" He would say. "You could make a change by pulling trucks!"

...

"I don't know!" The blue engine huffed crossly. "We can't get anything on him, and mentioning his former secret, as well as being unnecessary, would be pushing the line."

"Well then, if we can't get anything by snooping, we'll just wait and see if anyone mentions anything." Duncan smiled wickedly. "I know that that opportunity will come soon enough."

And it did, though they had to wait until the hour between noon and one.

"Right, Mr Bailey needs some stone delivered to Ulfstead Castle this afternoon." Skarloey announced. "Do I have any volunteers?"

"Oh, I'll do it Skarloey!" Luke offered at once.

"Thank you, Luke. That's that sorted." The old engine replied warmly. "I'll tell Mr Bailey as soon as break's over."

Peter Sam could tell one reason why he was so keen to take the stone.

"Are you looking forward to seeing Millie again?" He asked teasingly, causing Luke to blush.

Seeing their friend's face turn redder than Skarloey's paint made Duncan grin evilly.

"We hae him trapped noo." He whispered to Sir Handel.

...

Fifteen minutes after the break, Luke was coupled up to the trucks. He was excited to be getting out to Ulfstead Castle – he was beginning to enjoy his visits up there, because firstly, the castle was beautiful and interesting, second, he enjoyed talking to Stephen and the Earl- they were both fun to talk to, in a way. And thirdly...

He blushed as he thought about her. The Earl's pretty and feisty French private engine, Millie. He adored her, and she him. He was looking forward to seeing her again.

"Hello, Luke."

"Oh, hello Duncan! Hello Sir Handel!" The little pea green tank engine replied. "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be working?" He teased.

"We are, but, we wanted to tell you something first." Sir Handel replied.

"We ken a' aboot yer little crush on Millie." Duncan added.

Luke paled, but he was determined not to let them win.

"So what? Maybe I've told the others already." He replied, trying to sound confident, in the hopes they would buy it and leave him alone.

"We're not buying it." Sir Handel told him. "We do, however have a proposition- if you stop teasing us now, we'll leave your secret be. Ok?"

Luke weighed his options. His driver had told him what blackmail was, that blackmail was wrong, and this was blackmail. But he didn't want the others to know about his secret. Well, Peter Sam knew, and now Duncan and Sir Handel knew, too. But that left Skarloey, Rheneas, Rusty, Owen and Merrick. He had a feeling he wouldn't want to admit his secret to the others, so he knew what he had to do.

"Fine. But not one word of it, please?" He pleaded.

"You hae my word." Duncan replied earnestly.

"Well, you never went back on your word when I needed you most, so I guess I'll trust you again." Luke decided reluctantly.

"Good. But remember, no more teasing me and Duncan." Sir Handel added.

"I promise." Luke replied, thus fixing an agreement between the two engines to keep quiet.

"Good. Enjoy your run, laddie." Duncan added, giving Luke a warm smile.

Luke smiled awkwardly back, before puffing away towards the castle.

...

"But...but Duncan shouldn't do that!" Richard Wilson spluttered in fury. "Sir Handel shouldn't be involved either!"

"Its fine, Mr Wilson. I'm sure they didn't appreciate my teasing. Besides, I leave them alone, and no one else knows that I like Millie. It's a win – win situation." Luke replied confidently.

He puffed along the line carrying the trucks of stone until the outline of the castle came into view.

"We're nearly there, Mr Heron!" Luke cried out joyously, and he started to speed up.

"Luke, slow down!" Geoffrey called from the cab, but Luke didn't. He was just thankful that his engine didn't have a lot of accidents, or else he had a feeling they'd end up in one.

...

Stephen was the first one to notice that Luke had arrived with the load of stone.

"Hello Luke!" He called cheerfully. "I see you've brought the stone. We're having a little maintenance problem with one of the towers, but that should be enough to sort it- we just need the labour for that now!"

Luke smiled. "Actually, I was hoping- well, wondering, is...is Millie here?" He asked shyly.

"Oh, she'll be around." The old engine winked.

"Bonjour, mes ami!" A familiar feminine French voice called out from behind them, and Stephen swore that the younger engine's heart was in his eyes as Millie entered the courtyard after showing more guests around.

"Hello, Millie!" Stephen called out to his best friend. "Did your tour go okay?"

"Oui, Stephen! One of my best days yet!" Millie answered. "And it gets even better, seeing as Luke's here..."

"I wanted to see- well, I brought- here's the stone"- Poor Luke went very red in the face as he felt himself getting flustered. This made Millie giggle.

"I love teasing you Luke! You're so cute when you're tongue tied." The little French engine told him.

"Thanks...I think?" Luke replied, throwing a desperate 'help me' look at Stephen- only he'd gone! Gulping, he looked back at Millie.

"Are you alright, Luke? Your face's still red." Millie informed.

"I know." Her boyfriend replied. "Just embarrassed."

Millie just smirked a little, before softening her expression. "Don't take it seriously, Luke. I'm just having a bit of fun."

"I know." Luke repeated. Realising his mistake, he decided to be bold and say something important.

"Is breá liom tú." He said tenderly in his native Irish Gaelic tongue. He had always wanted to say it, but he had no idea when he would say it, nor if she would understand what it meant.

However, her response- despite the fact it was in French- showed that not only she understood what he said to her, but she was returning her sentiments. She had always been a clever girl. That was what Luke admired about her- that, and her headstrong personality, plus her hidden heart of gold.

"Je t'aime aussi, Luke." She replied, and the two exchanged a kiss.

As they did so, Luke felt that with Millie's help, he might be able to get Duncan and Sir Handel back for blackmailing him.

But for now, his heart was content being with Millie in the Ulfstead castle courtyard under the warm afternoon sunshine.


End file.
